The Austroads Member Authorities (AMAs) are developing a performance-based approach to the specification of unbound granular materials in Australia and New Zealand. There has been general agreement to adopt the engineering properties related to workability and performance for 'performance- based' specifications (PBS) of granular pavement layers. There has also been consensus among AMAs on the use of the repeated load triaxial (RLT) test as the best candidate laboratory performance test for measures of new-material performance (such as shear strength, resilient modulus and pavement layer deformation). This paper examines the capability of the standard RL T test method. In addition, it provides guidelines for the use of the RLT test to predict field performance, and guidance for the Engineer when accepting the use of the RLT test as a performance test in material specifications. Areas in implementation of RLT test into PBS that require further verification and refinement are identified and further research in these areas is recommended. (a).
Abstract